US man 'choked to death' after winning Cockroach-eating competition
London, Nov. 27 (ANI)
A man from Florida choked to death after he ate dozens of live cockroaches in a contest to win a python, an autopsy has revealed.
32-year-old Edward Archbold's body tested negative for drugs and Broward County medical examiner ruled the death as an accident caused by "asphyxia," the BBC reported.
Archbold collapsed and died soon after he won the promotional event at a pet store in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
No other problems were reported among some 30 competitors.
Archbold died of "asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents," the Broward County medical examiner's office said.
His airway became blocked with "arthropod body parts."
According to the owner of the Ben Siegel Reptile Store, the grand prize for the contest winner was a python, and Archbold had planned to sell the snake to his pal.
"We feel terribly awful," Ben Siegel, the owner, said.
"He looked like he just wanted to show off and was very nice," he said, adding that Archbold did not appear to have any problem before competition.
A lawyer for Siegel said all the contestants had signed disclaimers "accepting responsibility for their participation in this unique and unorthodox contest."